This invention relates to neck encircling fashion accessories, specifically to a decorative clothing accessory and a method for its manufacture, that comprises both scarf-like and jewelry components, and which can be worn comfortably around the lower and middle parts of the neck even by those who are otherwise unable to tolerate clothing that fits closely against the neck, such as turtleneck shirts and sweaters, bandanas, dickeys, and scarves. The present invention comprises an elongated flexible scarf-like member made from fabric or other material that is worn against the front and sides of a person""s neck and a flexible jewelry component detachably connected to the opposite ends of the scarf-like member, so that different scarf-like members and jewelry components can be worn interchangeably. The jewelry component also comprises an adjustable fastening means that draws the opposing ends of the scarf-like member around toward the back of the wearer""s neck and secures the scarf-like member comfortably into its usable position. Although not limited thereto, the configuration of the scarf-like member would preferably be substantially rectangular, V-shaped, cowl-like, have a lower dip that subtly follows the curvature of a human neck, or be in the form of a rectangle that is shortened in length so as to be puckered or gathered into folds or wrinkles that create a blouson effect. For maximum user comfort during use, the opposing ends of the scarf-like member should preferably remain at a spaced-apart distance from one another of approximately two to three inches. The neck-engaging surface of the scarf-like member which is targeted for contact with the front of a neck should be soft, and include a soft fabric lining, such as silk, when necessary for wearer comfort. Since the scarf-like member and jewelry components are detachable from one another, a person wanting to reduce the expense associated with repeated purchase of a jewelry component made from finer and expensive materials, could thereby purchase only one of the jewelry components and use it with a selection of scarf-like components for wardrobe versatility. In a majority of the preferred embodiments, the jewelry component would comprise a two-part chain having segments of unequal length, with each segment being configured to lay flat against a neck. However, even though a single two-part chain connection is preferred, multiple chain connections are also contemplated to support a single scarf-like member, to provide a design choice, to support scarf-like members having a greater height dimension, and to support scarf-like members made from heavier and/or bulkier materials, such as fur or leather. As a further design alternative, the jewelry component could comprise pearls, and gold or silver chain to which gemstones, rhinestones, or semi-precious stones are attached. All fasteners used with the present invention should be configured to lie flat against a neck, for easy and prompt connection, and have no sharp edges that can snag clothing or cause injury. It is also contemplated for the scarf-like member to comprise a wide variety of decorative embellishments, such as beads, pearls, rhinestones, embroidery, appliquxc3xa9s, reflective decorations, small mirrors, small buttons, fringe, lace, tassels, medallions, crests, shields, small chains, teardrop-shaped objects, and decorative trim. Applications may include the accessorizing of formal and career fashions, as well as use with clothing appropriate for more casual occasions.
Accessories can add color accents, color contrast, texture, and other decorative interest to clothing to create a coordinated and complete fashion statement. Neck adornment accessories are also effective for adding attractive and complementary color tones to a person""s face, and can be used in advantageous ways to enhance facial features, hide neck imperfections, and complement unusual and dramatic hairstyles. Accessories providing neck adornment have traditionally been limited to jewelry, ribbons, bandanas, dickeys, and scarves. During their use, some of the prior art neck adornment devices, such as scarves and dickeys, rest against or drape about the lower part of a neck. Although they typically encircle a neck, they may or may not be closely held against the neck. Scarves are usually secured in place by opposing ends or comers being tied into a knot, at least one part thereof being fastened in place with a brooch or decorative pin, or opposing ends or comers being threaded through a piece of jewelry specifically configured for holding the opposed ends of a scarf. However, the disadvantage of large bandanas and scarves is that even when they are tied or pinned they can be quite bulky, and while they may be suitable for use with certain formal and/or career fashions, they often are inappropriate for use with more casual clothing. Dickeys also can be bulky and are often unsuited for use with more casual clothing.
Other prior art neck accessories are used to adorn the middle part of a neck and must be secured closely against a substantial portion of the neck circumference to prevent inadvertent downward slippage to the lower part of the neck during use. When close contact exists between a neck adornment device and the entire circumference of the neck, such as would occur when smaller scarves, ribbons, and bandanas are tied around a neck, it often creates an uncomfortable constricted feeling that can also be accompanied by a further unpleasant sensation of choking or gagging. When prior art neck adornment devices contemplated for use around the middle part of the neck are configured to encircle only a portion of a neck, they must be rigid in construction and able to tightly grip the front, sides, and/or back of the neck. Although rigid neck adornment devices, such as C-shaped wire-like necklaces, may be comfortable when the person wearing it remains substantially still, when the wearer makes any type of neck twisting movement, the rigid necklace will not move in unison with the wearer and can provide unpleasant neck restricting sensations. While adornment around the middle portion of a neck is desirable for its fashion enhancing and face flattering effects, there is no known neck adornment device for wear around the middle portion of a neck that is non-bulky and sufficiently comfortable for extended use.
Further, while neck-encircling jewelry can add texture and decorative interest to clothing, it is generally limited in its contribution of color. Also, while ribbons, bandanas, dickeys, and scarves can add wonderful color accent and contrast to complete a fashion statement, scarves and dickeys are generally bulky and therefore limited in use, and neck-encircling ribbons while not bulky must be held tightly against the middle part of a neck and are found by many to be too constricting for frequent or extended use. Therefore, it would be desirable, and it is not heretofore known to have a combination fashion accessory comprising both jewelry and scarf-like components which is easily adjustable so that one or two sizes can be comfortably worn around most adult necks, even by those who otherwise find turtleneck clothing and accessories secured against the neck too constricting for frequent or extended use, with the jewelry component providing texture and decorative interest needed to accessorize fashions and the scarf-like component providing color and additional texture interest, and further with the jewelry and scarf-like components being quickly and easily separable from one another so that differently paired jewelry and scarf-like components can be worn interchangeably.
The inventions thought to be most closely associated with the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Design Patent D290904 to Crouch (1987), U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,793 to Kazuo (1977), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,049 to Clutton (1998). However, there are important differences between these inventions and the present invention. The dickey shown in the Crouch invention appears from a front view to resemble the cowl-like embodiment of the present invention, but does not resemble any of the other embodiments of the present invention. Also, the Crouch invention appears to be longer than the present invention and to extend farther downward over the upper chest area adjacent to the neck. In addition, the Crouch invention appears to be bulkier than the present invention, and it completely encircles a neck with no jewelry component against the back of a neck to help prevent the neck constricting sensation produced by many devices positioned closely against a neck during use. Further, while the Kazuo invention comprises a wire, a hook, and a chain, components that are also used in the present invention, and while it is used with scarves, the Kazuo invention discloses a knot-retaining implement that helps to maintain knots formed in neck-encircling devices such as neckties and scarves from becoming loosened during use. The Kazuo invention does not function as a neck-encircling device. Also, while the Kazuo invention can be attached to a scarf near to its ends, it is detachably connected to a knot in the scarf and its chain is not connected to the ends of a scarf or scarf-like member, as in the present invention, to help the scarf or scarf-like member encircle a neck and become positioned directly against it without the neck constricting sensation that often is felt by a wearer. The Clutton invention comprises an elongated piece of fabric and drawing-in members used to gather the ends of the fabric. Further, the Clutton invention discloses one attachment loop connected to each drawing-in member, a different part of a two-part screw-barrel fastener connected to each loop, and the drawing-in members and screw-barrel fastener being jewelry-like. In contrast to the present invention, the Clutton invention does not teach a plurality of chain links which can be utilized to make it adjustable, nor the need for a plurality of chain links to limit the coverage of the elongated fabric member to only the front and sides of the neck to prevent a sensitive wearer from experiencing a constricted and/or choking feeling during use. One of the fundamental objectives for creation of the present invention was to fulfill a need for a decorative neck accessory that does not have fabric completely encircling a neck so that an undue amount of pressure is not placed against the front of the neck to cause a constricted feeling. Also, the Clutton invention does not teach the need for a construction similar to the adjustable, multiple chain link construction of the present invention with interchangeable scarf-like and jewelry components to promote versatility of use, which also overcomes the discomfort typically experienced by sensitive people with prior art devices that substantially comprise fabric. No invention is known that has all of the features of the present invention, nor one with all of its advantages.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a quickly attached and released lightweight neck-encircling fashion device that comprises both scarf-like and jewelry components for diversity in accessorizing formal and career clothing, as well as casual clothing, and whose jewelry components can be readily detachable from its scarf-like component for interchangeable use. A further object of this invention is to provide a chain-scarf accessory that has soft fabric available for engagement with the front of a neck and is configured so that its scarf-like component covers only the front and sides of the wearer""s neck, leaving the back of the neck adorned only by the jewelry component so that people who typically feel uncomfortable when wearing tight clothing around the neck will not experience an unpleasant neck constricting sensation when wearing the present invention. It is a further object of this invention to provide decorative embellishments for the chain-scarf accessory to enhance its versatility as a fashion accessory, including embellishments that hang below the scarf-like component. It is also an object of this invention to provide an adjustable chain-scarf accessory that allows one or two sizes to fit most adult necks. A further object of this invention is to provide a chain-scarf accessory that has a configuration easily manufactured in a smaller size for children. It is also an object of this invention to provide a chain-scarf accessory with fasteners that lay flat against a neck and have a blunt configuration that will not snag clothing or cause injury. It is a further object of this invention to provide a chain-scarf accessory that is efficiently constructed, has durable construction, and is made from materials that require little or no maintenance between uses.
As described herein, properly manufactured and used, the present invention would provide a versatile chain-scarf fashion accessory that could be worn with formal and career fashions, as well as casual clothing. It has a jewelry member used against the back of a neck and a flexible elongated scarf-like member for use against the front and sides of the neck, with at least the center portion of the neck-engaging surface of the scarf-like member being made from soft fabric, such as silk. Since the scarf-like member and jewelry components are detachable from one another, a person wanting to reduce the expense associated with repeated purchase of a jewelry component made from finer and more expensive materials, could thereby purchase only one of the jewelry components and use it with a selection of scarf-like components for wardrobe versatility. The scarf-like member can be made from a variety of materials to include simple, sheer, elegant and/or expensive fabrics, fur, and leather, as well as colorful fabrics with trend-setting patterns and textures, to provide a multitude of aesthetically pleasing, neck-enhancing, and face flattering fashion statements. If the material used for the scarf-like member is not soft or delicate, a lining could optionally provide the soft surface needed for contact with at least the front portion of a neck. Such lining could be detachable for laundering purposes. Also, where desired, the scarf-like member could be decoratively enhanced with permanently attached or detachable embellishments, such as pearls, beads, gemstones, rhinestones, sequins, tassels, appliquxc3xa9s, embroidery, reflective decorations, chains, decorative trim, and the like, including embellishments that hang below the scarf-like member. The scarf-like member can be wide or narrow in height dimension, and have a variety of configurations, to include but not be limited to, one that is substantially rectangular with top and bottom edges approximately parallel to one another, one that has a bottom edge with a convexly shaped lower dip configured for subtly following the curvature of a human neck, one having a V-shaped dip on its lower edge, one having a draped cowl-like dip, and one having a primarily rectangular configuration that is shortened in length so as to be puckered or gathered into folds or wrinkles that create a blouson effect. To prevent a constricted feeling around the neck while it is being worn, both ends of the scarf-like member are attached to separate parts of a flexible jewelry component that are used to draw the opposing ends of the scarf-like member toward the back of the wearer""s neck. An adjustable fastener is then used to secure the scarf-like member comfortably into its non-slip usable position. Optimally, a spaced-apart distance would remain between the opposing ends of the scarf-like member during use. It is preferred that the jewelry member be adjustable so that one or two sizes of the present invention will fit most adult necks, and one smaller embodiment could be easily manufactured for most children. In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention the jewelry member would comprise two chain segments of unequal lengths, each having large links or rings comparable in size to the height dimension of the scarf-like member ends to which it will become attached, and a toggle attached to the shorter chain segment. The toggle would be configured for easy engagement and disengagement with any link in the longer section of chain to provide the adjustable connection desired. The toggle fastener would also be configured and attached to lie flat against a neck, and its blunt ends would prevent clothing snags and wearer injury. Other fasteners, such as but not limited to lobster claw fasteners, ring-shaped fasteners, magnetic fasteners, fasteners with a sliding type of clasp engagement, and fasteners having a spring-biased connection, are also considered to be within the scope of the present invention even though they might not be as readily fastened as a toggle fastener, as long as they do not possess sharp and pointed edges that could cause clothing damage or injury to the person wearing it. Exceptionally wide scarf-like members, and those made from bulkier materials, could utilize additional chain segments, such as two or three chain connections across the back of a neck instead of the single two-part chain connection more frequently used. Further, since it is contemplated for the raw edges of the fabric in the scarf-like member to be alternatively stitched to one another to make a hidden seam, be formed into a rolled hem, or otherwise manipulated and secured to prevent unraveling or fraying, and since the jewelry member is flexible and configured to lie flat against a neck during use, the chain-scarf accessory of the present invention would be worn comfortably for extended periods of time, and could be repeatedly used without visible signs of wear. The detachable fasteners between the scarf-like member and the jewelry component, as well as the connectors attached to the scarf-like member and to which the detachable fasteners are joined, such as but not limited to connectors that are D-shaped, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, decoratively D-shaped, and the like, are also configured to lie flat against a neck during use to enhance user comfort. It is also contemplated that the present invention would be made from fabric, jewelry, and decorative embellishments not adversely affected by dry cleaning products or periodic hand washing. It is also expected that materials selected for the chain scarf invention would require little maintenance or care between uses.
The description herein provides the preferred embodiments of the present invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the chain-scarf invention. For example, variations in the type, thickness, and configuration of the fabric used for the scarf-like member; the presence and shape of a lower dip on the scarf-like member; the number of chain attachment points at the back of the wearer""s neck; the amount and placement of reinforcement stitching used on the scarf-like member; the type of adjustable fastening means used; the configuration of the detachable chain-to-scarf fasteners used; the number and configuration of the pleats used on the scarf-like member having a cowl-like dip to help to add fullness to certain fabrics to create a more pleasing cowl-like appearance, and the number, type, and combination of embellishments used, other than those shown and described herein, may be incorporated into the present invention. Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than the examples given.